U.S. Pat. No. 4,067,719 issued to Gerard A. Dutra on Jan. 10, 1978, discloses N-phosphono-methylglycinonitriles of the formula ##STR1## wherein (Aryl) is selected from phenyl, naphthyl or biphenyl, each x is a substituent on said Aryl selected from halogen, alkyl of 1 to 4 carbons, alkoxy and alkylthio of 1 to 3 carbons, alkoxycarbonyl of 2 to 3 carbon atoms, methylenedioxy, cyano, trifluoromethyl or nitro, Z is oxygen or sulfur, a is an integer from zero to 3, b is an integer from zero to 1, Y is a strong acid capable of forming a salt with the amino group, and x is zero or 2, provided that x must be zero when b is 1, as well as a process for producing such compounds. These N-phosphonomethylglycinonitriles are said to be useful as herbicides.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,008,296 issued to John Edward D. Barton on Feb. 15, 1977, describes ester derivatives of N-phosphonomethylglycinonitrile having the formula ##STR2## wherein Z.sub.1 and Z.sub.2 each represent an alkyl radical of from 1 to 6 carbon atoms; which are said to be useful as herbicides.
Japanese L.O.P. No. 142047/1977 discloses phenylcyanomethylaminomethylphosphonates of the formula ##STR3## wherein Z.sub.3 is hydrogen or phenyl and Z.sub.4 is phenyl. Japanese L.O.P. No. 93323/1974 describes the preparation of N-(diethylphosphonomethyl)aminoacetonitrile.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,407,764 issued to James A. Sikorski et al on Oct. 4, 1983, discloses compounds represented by the formula ##STR4## wherein R is phenyl, naphthyl or biphenyl; or phenyl, naphthyl or biphenyl substituted with from 1 to 3 substituents independently selected from the group consisting of lower alkyl, lower alkoxy, methylenedioxy; and R.sub.1 is phenyl or phenyl substituted with from 1 to 3 substituents independently selected from the group consisting of lower alkyl and lower alkoxy.
Japanese L.O.P. No. 56-1566295/1981 describes the preparation and herbicidal utility of symmetrical aminosulfinamide derivatives of the formula ##STR5## wherein Z.sub.5 is phenyl.